Firing table



Feb. 23, 1937. ROESCH Er AL 2,072,049

FIRING TABLE Original FiledAu'g. 2, 1932 QINVENTOIR. 38 1 DankPRoesc/q V Char/esRDam'son 37 V 19 BY Fig.6 6 MM 21 22 ATTORNEY.

iatented F e1). 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRING TABLE Application August 2, Renewed J a 8 Claims.

This invention relates to stoker devices and particularly to locomotive stokers of the type wherein fuel is mechanically conveyed from the locomotive tender to a point in the firebox below 5 the grate and is then elevated through a suitable conduit to a point above the fire where it is acted upon by jets of steam or other fluid which project and distribute the fuel evenly over the fire.

It is the main object of our invention to provide, in stokers of the type described, a new and improved form of firing table, over which the coal or other fuel passes as it leaves the stoker and is distributed over the fire, and more spe- 15 cifically to provide a firing table comprising a plurality of parts so constructed and arranged as to engage each other to form a compact, simple, efficient and economical unit.

In stokers of the type described, a portion of 20 the firing table projects a considerable distance into the firebox and being subjected to a high degree of heat it burns away much faster than other parts of the firing table that do not extend as great a distance into the firebox, and it 25 is therefore, an object of this invention to provide a firing table in which that portion which burns away fastest can be readily detached, removed and replaced without destroying any of its other portions, and the portions of the firing 30 table are when assembled in place, rigid and unified with the fuel delivery conduit, the construction being such that the plurality of parts composing the firing table are rigidly secured one with the other without the necessity of using added means.

Various other objects and advantages of our invention W111 appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows one embodiment of the invention, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal vertical section of a portion of a locomotive with a stoker applied thereto and shown in elevation with parts broken away and a firing tab1e assembled therewith;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the novel form of firing table;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the firing table with parts broken away showing its application to the stoker conduit;

Fig. 4 is a view in section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of 55 Fig. 2; and

1932, Serial No. 627,274 nuary 19, 1937 Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6--6 of Fig. 3.

On the drawing, the locomotive is designated generally by the numeral l and is provided with a firebox H having a backwall or rear water leg 2. The backwall l2 has a firing opening l3 therethrough above the cab deck l4. Fuel is carried from the locomotive tender (not shown) to the locomotive H] by means of a conduit which houses a portion of the screw conveyor system IS. A conduit I! is universally connected to the forward end of the conduit l5 and terminates in an upwardly curving elbow :8 which merges into the straight tubular conduit or riser conduit i9. The straight tubular conduit 19 terminates in a D-shaped mouth 28 or fuel delivery opening above the level of the fire in the firebox H.

Partially surrounding the straight tubular conduit I9 is a protecting grate 2| shielding the conduit ill from the direct heat of the fire in the firebox ll. Surmounting and lightly fitting the conduit l9 and resting at its inner edge on lugs 22 projecting from the outer face of the conduit 19, is a metal plate or firing table 23. The top 24 of the table 23 is smooth and preferably fiat, as illustrated, and is in substantially the same-plane with the upper marginal edge of the mouth portion 20 permitting fuel to pass freely thereover.

The outer marginal edge of the top 24 of the table 23 is substantially U-shaped and the inner marginal edge conforms substantially to the shape of the outer edge. The open end of the U is restricted as at 25 by the inwardly extending portions 26. A fiange 2'! depends from the underside of the table 23 between its outer and inner marginal edges. .The table 23 is composed of the three sections 28,29 and 38, the section 28 forming the forepart of the table 23 and the sections 29 and 30 forming the rear part of the table 23. The sections 29 and 30 are preferably formed symmetrically, though,'it will be obvious that they need not necessarily be so.

The surfaces of the section 28 contacting the sections 29 and 30 are provided with the grooves 3| and the tongues 32 and the surfaces ofthe sections 29 and 30 contacting the section 28 are provided with the tongues 33 closely fitting the grooves 3| and the grooves 34 closely fitting the tongues 32. The interlocking tongues and grooves prevent relative longitudinalv movement between the sections 28, 29 and 30 and. prevents upward displacement of'the section 28 with respect to the sections 29 and 30. The contacting 29 and 30 are provided with the openings 35 arranged to receive bolts 36 for securely attaching the sections to the conduit l9. The bolting of the sections 29 and 30, together with theangularity of the contacting surfaces of the sections 28,

29 and 30 and the interlocking arrangement of grooves and tongues cooperate to rigidlysecure the sectional table 23 in place when once assembled. ,The table 23 issupported some distance above the top of the grate 2|, as shown at 3! to compensate for relative movement between the parts dueto the extreme variations in temperature causing contraction and expansion thereof.

,The'sections 29 and 30 of the firing table may be cored as at 38 in order to reduce the weight of the table and toreduce the cost of construction. The section 28, however, is preferably solid metal since it extends farther into the firebox and'is consequently burned off more rapidly.

A recess 39 is formed in the wall of the conduit I9 adjacent its mouth 20 and is arranged to receive .a pressure fluid jet distributor 40. The distributor comprises a distributor head 41 having substantially radial nozzles or openings 42 which are supplied with steam or other fluid by the pipe's43.

The firing table, in stokers of thetype described, since it is wholly within the firebox is necessarily subjected to an intense heat and in time deteriorates to such an extent as to require replacement. In the present arrangement there is provided aithree piece firing table, which when assembled is rigidly secured in place without the necessity of using added fastening means, and one part may be replaced as deterioration occurs without the'expense of replacing the entire firing table.

We claim: 7 V

1. A U-shaped firing table for a stoker formed in a plurality of sections, the curved portion of said U-shaped table forming one section and the straight portions of said U-shaped table forming the other sections, the adjacent ends of said curved section and said straight sections each being provided with interengaging tongues and grooves for preventing relative longitudinal movement between said curved section and said straight sections, the tongues and grooves at the adjacent ends of said curved section and one of said straight sections being angularly disposed with respect to the tongues and grooves at the adjacent ends of said curved section and "the other of said straight sections for preventing relative lateral movement between said curved section and 'saidstraight sections.

2. As' an article of manufacture, a section of a sectional firing table for stokers, said section having an imperforate fiat top face and being substantially Ushaped in' section parallel to said top face, end walls angularly related to each other, and an "element of an interlocking means formed in each of said end walls.

3. As an article of manufacture, a section of a sectional firing table for stokers, said section having an imperforate flat top face and being substantially U-shaped in section parallel to said top face, end walls angularly related to each other, and a tongue and groove constituting an element of an interlocking means formed in each of said end walls.

4. As an article of manufacture, a section of a sectional firing table for a stoker, said section having a fiat top face and being substantially spandrel shaped in section parallel to said top face, and a sloping end wall having a tongue and groove formed therein extending in planes parallel to the plane of said top face.

5. In combination with a firebox having an upstanding wall, a conduit for delivering fuel to said firebox comprising an upwardly extending portion terminating in a fuel delivery opening disposed inside the firebox adjacent said upstanding wall, a firing table comprising a plurality of end-to-end related sections surmount: ing said upwardly extending portion and partial- 1y surrounding said fuel delivery opening, said sectional firing table including a curved section remotefromsaidfireboxwall and a pair of end sections adjacent to said firebox wall, the-adjacent ends of said sections being formed with interfitted grooves and abutments, the junctions of said sections being angularly related to each other, means for rigidlysecuring said end sections to said upwardly extending conduit portion, said interfitted grooves and abutmentsbeing arranged to prevent lateral,- longitudinal and upward displacement of said curved section when said end sections are rigidly secured in position.

6. In combination with afirebox having an upstanding wall, a conduit for delivering-fuel to said. firebox comprising an upwardly extending portion terminating in a fuel delivery opening disposed inside the firebox adjacent said upstanding wall, a firing table comprising a plurality of end-to-end related sections surmounting said upwardly extending portion and partially surrounding said fuel delivery opening, means for projecting fuel radially across said firing table, said sectional firing table including a curved section remote from said firebox Wall and a pair of end sections adjacent to said firebox wall, the adjacent ends of said sections being formed with interfitted grooves and abutments, the junctions of said sectionsbeing angularly related to each other and substantially in theplane of the path of the fuel projected across the, table at said junctions, means for rigidly securing said end sections to said upwardly extending conduit portion, said interfitted grooves and abutments being arranged to prevent lateral, longitudinal and upward displacement of said curved section when said end sections are rigidlysecuredin p i V V V. o 1

'7. A sectional firing table for a stoker having a flat top surface and being substantially U- shaped in section parallel to said top surface, said table including a curved intermediate section and a pair of end sections in end-to-end contact with said curved section; the 'contactingends of said intermediate and said end sections l'iavinginterlocking means formed therewithjand the junctions of the ends of said intermediatesection with said end sections being disposed 'on opposite sides of and equidistant from the longitudinal center line of said firing table and at oblique angles thereto, said'interlockin'g means being arranged to prevent relative lateral and longitudinal and a. rearward portion in contacting end to end relation, the adjacent ends of said portions being provided with interengaging tongues and grooves for preventing relative longitudinal movement between said portions and for preventing upward displacement of said U-shaped portion with respect to said rearwardportion, and means for rigidly securing said rearward portion to said upwardly extending conduit portion for securing said U-shaped portion against movement with 10 respect to said conduit portion.

FRANK P. ROESCH. CHARLES R. DAVISON. 

